A Free Star
by Tigerz101
Summary: She's been cooped up in that damned asylum since she was born, but now she's had enough. Project 694 would finally be free of the hell hole she was born into, but with that freedom comes a price. "Sorry to say, but Freedom isn't free." The man told her. 694 glared at him and felt tears surface in her brown eyes. "Who ever said I didn't pay for it?"
1. Chapter 1

"Project 694! Get to bed!" The manly nurse called out to me.

I sighed and walked slowly down the lifeless hallway, passing cold metal doors with every step I took from my bare feet.

I walked into my cold bedroom and slumped down onto the sheets.

I have been trapped in this insane asylum since I was an infant. Ever since I was born they knew something was wrong with me, something they couldn't figure out...something that scared them.

Like every other person on this planet, I was a mage. Telekinesis to be exact. I could easily move anything my mind wished to, no matter the size or shape, not to mention Telepathy, which is a form of Telekinesis...I think.

I could easily break out of this pathetic place, and the staff knew it. I don't know what's been holding me back from doing so all this time, but I have been coming up with a plan. My mind might be a little whacked out, but I'm not stupid. Just a little crazy, okay maybe I'm really crazy, but so is everyone else in their own way.

I have never stepped outside this hell hole of a place, but I plan to soon. I have no idea what the world is like around me, but I plan to find out. All I have to do is wait a few more hours...

* * *

If you're wondering, no Project 694 isn't my 'official' name. It's Lucy, but I haven't been called that in 15 years, since my parents died. I've actually grown accustomed to my new name, and all the others the idiotic girls call me. Crazy, mental, psychopath, which I don't get. I mean I know I _am_ those things, but they're here too, so technically so are they. Idiots. I just keep my distance away from the others and stay to myself, away from all the screaming and panic attacks they literally have _every_ hour.

I heard the lights click off on the hallway and the enormous steel doors slam shut, trapping us in for the night. This place is heavily guarded and has really tough machinery to keep us from escaping. Every cell block or so, about 3 feet thick doors would lock us up, only being able to open if a nurse has they keycard to do so.

I once again heard another crazy have a nightmare or something and start screaming for their life. Not that I don't feel bad, I mean I have my fair share of sad nightmares, but it does keep you awake at night. I sighed at watched the moon rise highly in the sky out of my bared window at the top of my wall. I feel like the moon and stars are the only things I can talk to. Even if they mock me, being outside of this horrible place, I still love them. I wished to be like them one day.

I waited another hour or so and got up to my bare feet. I smoothed down my plastic dress that went to my knees and grabbed a pair of clothes from under my bed.

I learned how to pick my _room_ lock on my door, which only used a key and tip toed out into the white hallway. I shut the door behind me and heard my feet patter against the tile floors as I approached one of the eight steel, 3 feet thick doors.

I tilted my head in amusement and heard the metal crush and scrape against each other as I pushed the doors apart with my mind. I stepped through the doors, now looking like crumpled piece of paper stuck against a wall and heard people start to wake up.

I laughed in adrenaline as I skipped down the other cell blocks, crushing metal doors with a simple tilt of my head. I heard the loudest and most annoying alarm go off throughout the entire asylum that made my head hurt. I crushed open my last door and felt the cool breeze of the wind meet my face and body as I stepped out into the darkness.

I had never felt anything so amazing. The breeze was so comfortable, the air smelled so sweet and the grass felt like little animals were nibbling on my feet, tickling me. I twirled around in the night sky, reaching for the stars I had longed to see in person and felt a bright light shine right in my face.

"PROJECT 694!" A guard in a watch tower yelled.

I squinted in the harsh light of the lamp and saw watch towers and fences still surround the asylum. I smirked when I saw groups of guards rush towards me from in between the fences.

I calmly walked down the concrete driveway and crushed the metal fences to both sides, opening up widely. That annoying alarm was still going off, but I ignored it. I strolled down to the middle fence and saw more guards try to rush me. I pushed them aside, out of my walk way and scraped another fence open. I felt like I was on top of the world, pushing around these pathetic humans. I'm a human too, but I don't count.

I walked through my last fence and turned around to see the gigantic mess I made of the asylum I spent my entire life in. I saw a bunch of people from the town rush towards it, curious of the annoying alarm and darted into the forest.

I laughed to my heart's content of freedom and ran deep into the forest. I felt drunk off this feeling, I never want it to end. I changed out of my skimpy plastic dress and into a black, short sleeve shirt that clung to me tightly. Probably shouldn't of stolen this so long ago. I put on a pair of deep blue jeans and tucked the ends into some black combat boots. Over that, I got a really long coat to go over it, kind of looking like a cape. I am a superhero, they wear capes, I've decided so no one can tell me different.

Anyways, I also got a cool crescent moon mask that covers my entire face, and my hair. It has two crescent moons, on each side that make up a full one with bright red lips in the middle. It has a black cloth attached to it so it hides my blonde hair. I figured I should hide my identity so I wouldn't be spotted so easily.

After I put on my mask, I climbed the wonderful trees around me, much like a leopard, crawling on my hands and feet and jumping from branch to branch. I was once again drunk off this feeling as I explored the dark and mysterious forest...

* * *

**Well, there's another 'beginning' to go off. I hope you liked the idea and everything so review and tell me what ya think! Of course this Lucy is a _little_ OOC, if that means out of character, I'm not sure but that's what I meant. Thanks for reading, see ya!**


	2. She Has Escaped!

(Team Natsu P.O.V.)

"So how much did we get?" Grey asked as the three strolled through a town they just completed a mission from.

"Hm, we each get about 20000 jewels." Erza said as she handed the two their fair share.

"It's late, can we go to a hotel or something?" Natsu whined as he stopped in the middle of the nearly empty street.

"Let's just go to the train." Erza said pointing ahead of her.

"But I hate the train." Natsu pouted and crossed his arms.

"We know Flame Brain, just co-"

Grey was cut off as an ear piercing alarm sounded throughout the entire town. The three slammed their hands to their ears from shock and looked around them.

"What's going on?" Natsu yelled above the alarm.

"I don't know!" Erza yelled as she shut her eyes.

The three saw in the outskirts of the town, a large building turn on all their lights in search of something.

"What is that place?" Grey asked them as the alarm didn't seem as loud to them anymore.

"Let's check it out, see if they need help!" Erza said darting off towards the building.

Grey and Natsu were a bit confused but took off along Erza too. The three ran all the way to the building in the distance and heard the alarm get louder and the lights get brighter.

* * *

The three mages widened their eyes in disbelief at what they saw before them. They saw a large field, covered in fences and watchtowers that were mercilessly crushed up and thrown away like nothing. Guards covered the ground by the fences as others ran around in a panic.

"Did a tank roll through here!?" Grey asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"What did all of this?" Natsu asked as he gaped.

"Come on!" Erza yelled and took off down the concrete driveway.

The three passed by the remains of the metal fences and tried stopping a panicking guard, but to no avail.

"Excuse me!" Erza yelled to a guard.

He turned around with pure fear in his eyes.

"What's happened here?" Erza asked the scared man.

"Project 694! She's escaped!" The man panicked.

"Who is she?" Grey asked the guard.

"She's the most dangerous patient in River's history! She just destroyed the place and waltzed out of here!" The guard said.

"River?" Natsu questioned.

"Can't you tell?" The guard said over the alarms.

"What is she a patient of?" Erza asked for him to continue.

"River is an insane asylum! She's too powerful and unstable to be out in the public." The guard told them.

"Insane..." Natsu echoed to himself. "We'll help find her."

"Yeah, we can look in the forests." Grey said pointing back behind him.

"You will?" The guard said.

"We'll be back in a flash." Erza smiled to him.

"Good luck." The guard said unmotivationally.

Natsu, Grey, and Erza walked out of the field of the asylum and towards the dark and eerie forest near in. They walked into it and wandered around a bit, listening for Project 694. Even though no one would admit it, they all felt a bit scared from the mysterious forest. It was unusually quiet and they couldn't see well in the darkness.

What they didn't know is that the very thing they were looking for, had already found them.


	3. What Just Happened?

**MAKE SURE TO READ THE BOTTOM FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS!**

* * *

Project 694 crawled through the trees, hands first and feet second. She jumped from tree to tree, watching the three mages search for her even though they were obviously scared.

She decided to have a little fun and began to hum a mournful song loudly, enough for them to hear clearly, but not pinpoint the source.

The three mages felt fear crawl up their spine as they heard the girl humming a scary tune.

Lucy saw the fear flicker in their multi-colored eyes as she jumped from a tree onto another branch, hanging by her hands.

"W-Who's there?" Erza said, trying not to show her nervousness.

Lucy giggled loudly, making the three have goose bumps and twirled herself onto another branch, right above the pink haired one.

"I think you mean to ask, _what's_ there." Lucy whispered demonically, but loud enough for them to hear as she swung onto another branch, right above Natsu. "Lets see, what am I..."

The three turned all around them, trying to pinpoint the girl from her voice, but couldn't. She was moving around too much, which frankly put them more on edge.

"Mental, psychopath, danger to the society..." Lucy listed as she circled the three in the trees. "A lot of things actually...Shall I continue?"

The three stayed silent and tried to find her, but was too dark for them to see anything.

Lucy let out another giggle that echoed through the trees. They were too much fun for her.

"Stars are beautiful aren't they?" Lucy continued as she crawled across a thick branch. "Bright, shiny, wise...free."

"That's what I envied about them." Lucy let her tone drop lower in annoyance. "They have the freedom to thrive and grow in the wonders of space with no one trying to hold them back of their fullest potential."

'This chick really is a bit messed up.' Erza thought as she listened to the unlocated girl speak.

"Just like that damned asylum." Lucy scoffed, frightening the three a bit more. "Treating me like an animal with an disease, like I'm a threat to the world!"

Lucy laughed loudly in sarcasm. "I knew I had to get out of there."

She continued to laugh as she jumped to another branch by the raven haired man, studying his expression.

"But I didn't escape to be around humans..." Lucy drifted off, now studying the armored girl. "Honestly in my opinion, humans are worthless."

"I'm ashamed to be one myself, but I cannot change who I am. No one can change who I am!" Lucy said sternly as she jumped above them unnoticeably and onto the thick trunk of a tall tree.

"No matter how long they coop me up in that crazy house." She said in slight disgust.

Lucy saw the three turn their attention towards the left and jumped to a branch close to them. She hung herself upside down from the branch, careful not to let her mask fall and stared at the backs of the three. She smiled at her advantage against them and moved her masked head closer to them.

"I am now a free star..." Lucy said softly.

The three turned around, hearing her voice closer than usual and widened their eyes at the masked girl.

"Boo." Lucy tilted her upside down head in amusement.

Natsu and Grey screamed and hugged each other as Erza backed away, equipping a shiny sword that glistened in the moonlight.

Lucy laughed at their faces and let herself fall from the branch, landing on her feet much like a cat. She tilted her head in amusement and stood up straight.

"What are you three doing here? I don't remember seeing you in the asylum." Lucy asked them.

"We heard the alarms and came to see if anyone needed help." Erza tried not to stutter as she pointed her sword at her.

Lucy hummed and neared the three, kicking her feet in the sky and waving her arms around, feeling the freedom she had now claimed.

"I recommend you turn back now." Lucy said casually.

"Why?" Natsu asked her and took a step forward.

"Well if you stay any longer they're going to think I killed you and will press murder charges, which I have enough of now." Lucy sighed as smiled under her mask at their feared expressions.

'She's killed people?' Erza thought in horror.

Lucy burst out laughing at them and held her stomach. "I'm just kidding! Haha! I've never killed anyone."

The three felt a pang of relief by her words.

"Except for Plue. Oh poor Plue." Lucy shook her head mournfully. "He was a dog if it makes you feel better."

'SHE KILLED A DOG?' Grey thought.

Lucy stared at Natsu and Grey, smirking under her mask.

"Oh well." She shrugged and jumped up to a high branch, holding on by a hand.

'How can she jump around so easily? Has she been in the trees the whole time?' Natsu thought, intrigued by the athletic girl.

Lucy swung her whole body up and crouched on her hands and feet on the sturdy branch.

"Where are you going?" Natsu asked after a moment of silence.

"Where ever the stars take me!" Lucy giggled and jumped to another branch like a monkey, disappearing into the darkness.

Natsu looked around him and heard her rustle a few leaves, but still couldn't pinpoint her.

"Hey! Come back!" Natsu shouted into the air.

Lucy jumps to the closest tree by Natsu and hangs upside down, careful not to let her mask fall. She dropped her masked head right in front of his, startling him a bit.

"Yes?" Lucy said innocently and tilted her upside down head.

She watched as Natsu lifted a hand to remove her mask, almost touching it. She quickly grabbed his wrist from moving any closer and saw confusion on his face.

"Why do you wear it?" Natsu asked her curiously.

"To keep my identity a secret, why else?" Lucy laughed and let go of his hand.

"Can I see?" Natsu asked eagerly.

Lucy stared at the man and bit part of her lip, thinking of an idea.

Lucy slowly lifted her hand to the chin on her mask, seeming to take it off. She slowly scooted the mask off till right above her plump pink lips.

Natsu tilted his head in confusion at why she would stop there, then suddenly felt her soft lips on his. His eyes widened at her kiss, but he had to admit, he loved it. He felt his stomach knot up at the feeling of his lips against hers.

Grey and Erza gaped at the two, completely unable to utter a word.

Natsu immediately missed the warmth of her lips on his as she pulled away giggling.

Lucy licked her lips and scooted her mask back over her face, then pulled herself back into the tree's.

"I'm sorry, you'll have to forgive me, I've been locked up with idiotic screaming girls my whole life. I couldn't resist after I saw you two boys." Lucy laughed, moving through the trees.

Grey saw Lucy drop down in front of him, same as Natsu and tilt her head in amusement.

"Unless you want one too?" Lucy giggled.

"U-Um.." Grey was speechless and backed up a bit.

"Hm, I suppose not." Lucy sighed and pulled herself back into the trees.

"I AM FREE AT LAST!" Lucy cheered as she bounced to different trees. "See ya, guys!"

The three mages stood there stunned and dumbfounded in the dark forest.

"...What just happened?" Natsu said after a moment of silence.

"...I have no idea." Grey shook his head.

"Let's get back to the asylum..." Erza sighed and rubbed her face.

* * *

The three walked back to the calming asylum and found the guard from earlier, talking to a well dressed man who seemed very flustered.

"Who's that he's talking to?" Grey asked the two as they approached the destroyed field.

"I dunno." Natsu shrugged.

"There they are! Did you find her?" The guard asked eagerly.

"Well-"

"No, we didn't see her." Erza cut off Natsu.

"She's still out there?" The other man asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry, it seems like she fled the city." Erza informed.

"Thank you for trying." The man sighed and rubbed his face. "You can return to your homes now."

"Thank you." Erza waved and walked out of the field.

* * *

"Why did you say that?" Grey asked her as soon as they came to the edge of the asylum.

"She just wanted to be free." Erza shrugged and looked to the crumbling asylum. "Why should we stop her?"

"Hm." Grey sighed.

"So, she single-handedly did all of this?" Natsu said after a moment of silence.

"They said she was strong." Grey shrugged. "And we could do worse."

"Let's head back to Magnolia. I'm tired." Erza sighed and walked towards the train station.

* * *

**Bet you guys didn't see THAT comin, huh? Thanks for reading and everything, I really appreciate the nice complements. Don't forget to Review, kay?**

** OH PLEASE READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR A NEW STORY! Okay, so I've already written pretty far into a bunch, so im going to let you guys decide between 2 stories, just based off the name.**

** Choice 1: The Visitor or Choice 2: The Orchid**

**VOTE NOW! Either PM or Review. :) Love yas!**


	4. The Project Returns

Months passed and the three had never seen Project 694 again. They figured she was still out there somewhere, being a free star and didn't plan on visiting them any time soon. Unless she wanted another kiss from Natsu.

* * *

Meanwhile Lucy had been exploring the natural world around her. She had visited the seas, the forests, the dessert, and even some cities with people. She often thought of the three mages in the forest. Even though she hated humans, she couldn't help but be attracted to the three. They weren't like the other humans she had barely even made contact with, so she considered them her friends. Well only human friends.

After almost destroying an entire town and running away from the Council guards for her arrest, an idea popped into her mind.

* * *

"Naatssuuuu!" Happy shouted, flying into his owners arms.

"Hey Happy." Natsu said petting his furry friend.

"Carla rejected my fish!" Happy poured out tears.

"Sorry buddy." Natsu sighed and put him on his shoulder.

Natsu turned around in his barstool to face the bar and leaned on the counters with his elbows.

"Hey Hot Head." Grey greeted casually and sat down next to him.

"Guys want to do a mission today?" Erza asked as she sat on the other side of Natsu.

"Yeah! Oh, can we-"

Natsu cut himself off and froze in place, inhaling deeply.

"Natsu?" Erza raised an eyebrow. "Naatsuu?"

Natsu ignored her calls and turned around quickly, eyes widening.

"Oh my god." He stood up from his bar chair.

"What are you doing?" Grey asked and looked behind him.

Grey and Erza felt goosebumps cover their body as they heard the familiar giggle echo throughout the guild, silencing it.

The three saw Project 694, right in front of their eyes, sitting on the railing of the second floor swaying her legs back and forth.

Lucy tilted her masked face in amusement of all the eyes going to her.

"That mask..." Erza said stunned by her appearance.

Lucy jumped down from the railing and landed on Mira's bar counter gently.

"Hey guys! Did ya miss me?" Lucy giggled and twirled around on the counter, dodging glasses and plates.

"You're that girl from that night!" Grey said in disbelief.

"Aw! You guys even remembered mee!" Lucy said in a baby voice and embraced the three in a giant hug.

"Do you guys know this chick?" Gajeel asked raising an eyebrow.

"H-How did you know where we were? We didn't tell you we were in a guild." Erza asked in disbelief, ignoring Gajeel.

"I have my sources." Lucy smiled deviously under her mask as she jumped on top of a barstool.

"I just came to visit." Lucy sighed and hopped to different barstools. "Wanted to make sure my best friends aren't in any trouble."

Lucy giggles and jumps to the criss crossed roof beams, hanging on by her hands.

"Guys...who is she?" Droy asked as everyone watched her swing to different beams like a monkey.

Lucy jumped from the beam and landed harshly in front of Droy, startling him.

"Didn't ya hear? I'm that crazy chick who broke outta the asylum a few months ago!" She laughed at his frightened expression.

The guild gasped in recognition. A lot of them read stories of an insane woman escaping from Rivers and was still on the loose. Lucy had actually become quite a popular topic.

"What have you been doing this whole time?" Natsu asked, finally knocking himself out of his trance.

"Exploring the world around me!" Lucy exclaimed as she ran to him and jumped on his back, making him hold her legs to keep her from falling. "It's so amazing!"

Lucy put her masked face next to Natsu's and giggled at his confused and surprised expression.

"I never knew this world was so beautiful. All I saw was that boring view out my bared window." Lucy said with a saddening tone, remembering Rivers Insane Asylum.

Natsu felt Lucy hoist herself up, so her feet were on his shoulder. She grabbed the roof supports again and jumped off his shoulders.

"But like I said before, I am a free star." Lucy sighed and swung around again. "Capable of shining as bright as I can."

The guild watched the clearly insane girl use the roof beams as monkey bars.

"So what's your name?" Erza asked after a moment of silence.

"My name?" Lucy echoed and hung herself upside down by her knees, careful not to let her mask fall. "I am Project 694. That's what everyone called me back at Rivers, feel free to do the same."

"Project 694?" Grey furrowed his eyebrows.

"The nurses didn't want to memorize each and every ones names so they thought numbers were easier." Lucy scoffed and sway her body back and forth.

"So..." Lucy started as she jumped down and landed on her feet, much like a cat. She landed in front of Grey and did a bow. "Project 694 at your service!"

"What about your real name?" Erza asked coming up to her.

"Real name?" Lucy asked a bit confused. "Oh, *that* type of name..."

'How can she forget her name?!' Erza thought.

Lucy sighed and strolled around the three. "Before my parents died they did manage to give me a name. I haven't been called it in 15 years, I'm honestly surprised I haven't forgot it myself."

'She's been called a project for 15 years? That's harsh...' Natsu pitied her internally.

"Lucy Heartfillia." Lucy stopped in front of the guild.

"Lucy?" Natsu tasted the name in his mouth and gave a warm smile. "I like it."

"Hm." Lucy hummed and swung around a pillar. "So what are your names?"

"Erza Scarlet, Titania of Fairy Tail." Erza introduced. "And there's Grey Fullbuster and Natsu Dragneel."

"Natsu and Grey, huh?" Lucy said twirling around the column in circles. "Interesting."

Lucy jumped away from the pillar and onto a wooden table.

"Well, I suppose its about time I leave." She sighed and jumped on a chair, balancing it on one leg.

"Do you have to leave?" Natsu asked as he held out a hand for her to come down. It wasn't very safe.

Lucy giggled and back flipped onto Mira's counter, startling her.

"Gonna miss me, Naat Su?" Lucy emphasized his name in a baby voice as she twirled around on the counter.

"Lucy." Natsu said and he tried to help her down.

"Nope!" Lucy laughed and jumped to the staircase railing, sitting on it.

"Catch me if you caan!" Lucy said as she slid down the banister.

"Lucy! Come on!" Natsu chased her getting a bit aggravated.

Lucy giggled and dodged all of his attempts to grab her, whether by ducking and twirling around or crawling in between his legs to behind him.

"How are you so fast?" Natsu asked trying to catch her.

"I worked out a lot at Rivers. Not much else to do!" Lucy laughed and backflipped out of his reach.

She saw Natsu get irritated and felt she had tortured him enough. She let him finally catch her wrist, thinking he'd finally won.

Natsu pulled her towards him and caught her other wrist to keep her from moving.

'She really can't sit still can she?' Natsu internally sighed.

"You caught me!" Lucy giggled and felt him release her.

Natsu felt like his mind was about to explode not knowing what she looked like. He usually wouldn't care, but for some reason he was just too curious. He lifted his hand to try and remove her mask again.

"Now Natsu, don't you remember what happened *last* time you tried to remove my mask?" Lucy tilted her head in amusement of his blush.

The guild was confused by her words but Erza and Grey started snickering.

Natsu remembered her kiss and blushed while he took a step back.

"Aw, that's a shame. I was hoping you would do it again." Lucy pouted childishly as Grey and Erza burst out laughing.

"Wh-Wha?" Natsu couldn't manage his words as he blushed massively.

"Oh well, I'll be on my way!" Lucy strolled to the doors, patting the red Natsu on his shoulder. "See ya!"

* * *

The guild watched as she exited the doors and ran into the sunset. They stayed quiet for a moment, trying to process what just happened with the insane girl.

"What happened when he tried to take off her mask?" Cana asked breaking the silence.

"She kissed him and almost kissed Grey." Erza chuckled and reclaimed her seat.

"WHAT?" The guild yelled at the crimson Natsu and light pink Grey, Juvia being the loudest.

"SHE ALMOST KISSED MY GREY?!"

* * *

**Sorry guys for not uploading for a bit, got busy. Hope you liked it so far...DONT FORGET TO VOTE FOR NEW STORY **

**Choice 1: The Visitor Choice 2: The Orchid**


	5. The Deal

"Natsu, who was that girl?" Happy asked as he tugged on his scarf.

"Just a girl I met." Natsu told him and sipped on his mug.

"How did you meet her and is she really the girl from all those stories?" Happy rambled.

"Yes, she is that girl from all those stories and I met her when we were searching for her." Natsu answered.

"Why were you searching for her?" Happy asked.

"Because we heard she escaped from her asylum and needed to be brought back." Natsu shrugged.

"Oh. Is she coming back?" Happy asked and received his fish from Mira.

"I...don't know. She might." Natsu arched his eyebrows in thought.

"She's interesting, but that mask is scary." Happy said and shivered from the thought.

"Yeah...that mask." Natsu said dreamily.

"So." Happy continued, letting his notorious smirk appear on his face. "How was the kiss?"

"Wha? Happy!" Natsu shouted at him blushing

Happy laughed and played with his fish.

"Sorry, Natsu. It's just funny." He giggled.

"Whatever, Happy." Natsu muttered and hid half his face in his arms on the counter.

"What's wrong? Sad she didn't do it again?" Happy joked, but earned a shove to the floor.

Natsu huffed and remembered the sweet kiss she gave him. He did have to admit, it _was_ a good kiss, for him anyway. She *did* steal his first one. She wasn't to hard, but wasn't to light either and she smelled sweet of vanilla. It sort of felt like her lips fit perfectly with his. He just couldn't shake that weird feeling inside him.

"Natsu, Grey, Erza! Come up here please." Makarov called from the second level.

The three mages banded together and joined Makarov in his office, closing the door behind them.

"What's up Gramps?" Natsu asked and fell into an armchair in front of his desk.

"Lucy Heartfillia." Makarov simply said.

"What about her?" Erza asked as she sat in the neighboring armchair.

"I want you three to bring her back here. You guys seem to know her the best, so I expect it to be a simple task for you all." Makarov said to them.

"Capture her?" Grey asked as he leaned on the windowsill.

"No, just ask her to come back and don't take no for an answer. Natsu, can you track her scent?" Makarov asked and shifted his gaze towards him.

"Yeah, I've memorized it by now." Natsu nodded at him.

"Good, you can set out for her soon." Makarov said and leaned back in his chair.

"Why do you need her?" Erza asked curiously.

"I just want to discuss some matters with her." Makarov said. "That is all."

Confused and a bit curious, the three mages left his office and returned to the main guild hall.

"What do you think he wants with Lucy?" Natsu asked as they strolled down the staircase.

"No idea actually." Erza sighed and sat in a barstool.

"Maybe he feels threatened by her. You know, being a mentally insane patient out on the loose and sneaking in our guild with no one noticing her until Natsu smelled her out." Grey explained.

"Yeah, but all she did was prance around here answering our questions and left. Besides her past she doesn't seem like a threat." Erza contemplated.

"Let's not forget what we saw at the Rivers, she totally destroyed that place and we don't even know what magic she used capable to do _that_." Natsu said.

"Well, she seems to take a liking to us so let's just hope she won't attack. Natsu, can you tell if she's still in the city?" Erza asked.

Natsu inhaled the air around him for her trail and thought a moment.

"Yeah, she's by the outskirts of Magnolia." He answered.

"Should we go for her now?" Grey asked, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

"Yes, we don't want to lose her. Grey, clothes." Erza said sternly and stood up from her seat.

"Crap!" Grey said under his breath and went to find his shirt.

"Hey Mira, we'll be right back!" Erza called to her and walked to the doors.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Mira waved them off and continued to talk to the group of girls surrounding her.

Grey arrived, now fully dressed and met up with the two at the doors.

"Let's go." She said and opened the door.

"How far away is she?" Erza asked Natsu as they walked through the town.

"She's just by the flatlands outside Magnolia. I'll show you." Natsu said and began jogging to the town gates.

The three mages walked outside the tall wall that surrounded Magnolia and drifted off into the land outside it. Few trees covered the vast land with tall grasses and flowers. A great view of the town was seen from far outside as they traveled further.

"Is that her?" Grey asked, referring the the human laying on a thick tree branch, seemingly sleeping.

The three cautiously approached the girl, all looking at her strangely. She did much look like a leopard, laying lazily on a tree branch, on her side with her arm slumping down, hanging in the air. She even kept on her mask, much to Natsu's displeasure.

"U-Um, Lucy?" Natsu called out to her.

Lucy remained still and continued to dream.

"Lucy?" Natsu called again, tugging on her limp arm.

Lucy shifted in her sleep slight and readjusted her head on the bark of the tree.

"Lucy!" Natsu called once more, grabbing her hand in his and tugging on it gently.

Lucy groaned in annoyance of someone awaking her and felt pleasant warmth covering her hand. She looked through the tiny holes of her mask and saw the three mages stare at her with indifferent expressions. She looked down to her arm and saw Natsu holding onto it as he stared at her. She felt her cheeks grow hot, something quite unnatural for her.

"What's going on?" Lucy asked, letting go of his hand and sitting up straight on the branch.

"We came to get you." Natsu told her.

"You guys miss me already?" Lucy giggled and swayed her legs.

"Master wants to talk to you." Erza told her.

"Why? I don't even know him." Lucy sighed and stretched her arms and back. She unconsciously went to ruffle her blonde hair and almost shifted her mask a little, almost revealing her hair. Natsu sighed internally of the anxiousness that ate him alive as he almost saw her face.

"He didn't tell us why, but he needs you back at Fairy Tail." Grey told her, crossing his arms.

Lucy sighed and jumped down from the tall tree and landed on her feet gently. She stood up from her crouching position and stared at the three, amused with their slightly intimidated expressions.

"Alright." She replied simply.

"Great, come on." Natsu grinned at her and waved her back to Magnolia.

"Why were you sleeping in a tree all the way out here?" Grey asked her as the four traveled back to Fairy Tail.

"All the trees in the city are surrounded by annoying people. Its much quieter out here." Lucy explained.

"I think he means to ask why were you sleeping in a tree at all." Erza clarified as they entered the crowded streets on Magnolia.

"Where else am I going to get a peaceful sleep? On a bench next to a bunch of screaming kids and yelling parents?" Lucy asked rhetorcically, watching the building come into view from on top of the hill.

"You don't have to sleep in a tree, Lucy. You could've just asked one of us for a place to stay." Natsu told her, giving her a sweet smile.

"Thanks, but I think I prefer trees better than beds." Lucy smiled under her mask at him.

Erza opened up the guild doors, hearing the guild silence at the sight of Lucy.

"I'm back everyone! Isn't it just *great*?" Lucy joked, watching the people stare at her awkwardly.

"He's upstairs." Grey motioned her away from the crowd.

"Alright, let's see what this guy wants." Lucy sighed and waltzed up the stairs, followed by the three behind her.

Lucy carelessly opened Makarov's office door without even knocking and caught his attention.

"Hello!" Lucy waved at him and strolled closer to his desk.

"Miss. Heartfillia, I presume?" Makarov asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yep. What is it you want to discuss with me, Geezer?" Lucy asked bluntly.

Erza pushed the two boys out of his office, closing the door behind them.

"Take a seat." Makarov motioned her to an armchair, ignoring her awful nickname for him.

Lucy slumped down into the airchair, legs hanging over one arm of the chair as her back pressed against the other.

"Lucy, I wanted to ask about your... relationship with my children." Makarov asked her.

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, unsure of what he meant.

"Natsu, Erza, and Grey. What are you to them?" Makarov clarified.

Lucy sighed and swayed her legs back and forth over the chair.

"I met them a couple months ago. Had a chat and left them." Lucy said seriously.

"Care to explain?" Makarov asked her.

"Why? What does any of this matter?" Lucy asked him suspesciously.

"Do not be offended, but I am just looking out for my children from harm." Makarov said, keeping an eye out for her.

"I'm not a threat to your guild. I will only attack if you attack first. Believe it or not, I'm not a violent person, but so many guys are after me I can't help but be. They're so stupid, trying to capture me but its all really just making me stronger." Lucy scoffed and leaned her masked head back, looking to the ceiling.

"Yes, I heard that you escaped from somewhere? Forgive me for my lack of knowledge on the subject, but feel free to fill me in." Makarov asked her again.

"Alright." Lucy sighed and sat in her chair correctly. "I will tell you everything that is _really_ happening, but I warn you. If you hear anything I'm about to say, I can't promise you won't be attacked from knowing." Lucy warned him.

"Am I not already in danger from your visits here?" Makarov asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope, unless I stay longer." Lucy smirked at him under her mask.

"I would like to help you, Lucy." Makarov smiled at her. He could tell, even if she was wearing a mask over her face and emotions, she wants a new place to call home. He's seen many others in a similar condition, lost in the world with no where to go. Running away from their past, trying so hard to escape its clutches as it trys to catch up to them.

"What makes you think I need help?" Lucy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I can tell." Makarov told her, leaning back into his chair.

"Well you're false, then. As you may have heard, I'm a runaway from an insane asylum. This is actually the best I've felt in my whole life." Lucy said, crossing her arms and leaned back into her own chair.

"So you don't mind that people are constantly running after you, trying to capture you every second?" Makarov asked sarcastically.

"If that's what it takes to be free, so be it. I'm sorry if I caused trouble for you and your guild, I didn't mean it." Lucy told him, pursing her lips, feeling the cold plastic on them.

"Well you haven't. Yet, at least. But I really would like to help you. You don't have to keep running, you can just stay here." Makarov offered with a smile.

"Believe it or not, no matter how much I despise the human race, your guild does interest me above all." Lucy giggled.

"You remind me of an old friend I have." Makarov chuckled, referring to Polyschulka.

"How about this, I'll stay in town for a while and see if anything happens. If something does, I'll explain the *real* reason they're after me, but if not I'll just be a guest here and see how the guild treats someone like me." Lucy considered, scooting up in her chair.

"Sounds okay." Makarov nodded at her.

"Not sure how the guild will react to this though. I don't mean to sound rude but I find it hilarious how frightened I make them." Lucy laughed, remembering their scared expressions.

"I think they'll come around..." Makarov laughed awkwardly.

"Perks of being mentally insane: everyones already scared of you. Such steryotypical humans, probably think I'll kill everyone and tear up the place just because I was put in an asylum." Lucy tsked and stood up from her chair.

"I'm sure they didn't mean it." Makarov told her, standing up as well.

"Well, I hope I answered most of your questions. I'll be around Magnolia somewhere, apparently you guys found me once so I'm sure you can do it again if you need something." Lucy said and opened the office door for the both of them.

"Okay." Makarov nodded and walked out onto the balcony with Lucy, hearing the guild quiet down at the sight of her.

"Hey..." Lucy said softly and kneeled down to his level. "Thanks...for trying to help me. No ones done that for me before, so I appriciate it."

"No problem. Ill help anyone in need." Makarov nodded and laid a consoleing hand on her shoulder.

"Well, I'm going back to finish my sleep." Lucy sighed and stood up, glancing to the watchful crowd. "See ya Geezer."

Makarov nodded at her and went back inside his office, closing the door behind him. Lucy slid down the stairwell banister, giggling lightly as she hopped onto her feet.

"Hey Lucy, what did Gramps want with ya?" Natsu asked her.

"We just made a little deal. Nothing too important." Lucy shrugged and strolled closer to him.

"A deal?" Erza asked, appraoching the two.

"Yeah, nothing you need to worry about. For now, hopefully." Lucy shrugged her head back and forth for emphasis.

"So, I'm going back to my tree. GOODBYE FAIRY TAIL!" Lucy said loudly in a baby voice and backed up to the guild doors.

"It's like 5:00." Natsu told her, giving her a face.

"And? I'm tired." Lucy pouted and kicked open the doors, walking outside into the cool breeze.

* * *

**Sorry for the wait guys, totally forgot about this story..heh. Anyyways I hoped you liked it so far..as you can see the actual plot is coming together!**

** Thanks for reading and don't forget to vote on a new story I'm writing! **

**Choice 1: The Visitor Choice 2: The Orchid**


	6. Little Talks

_"And? I'm tired." Lucy pouted and kicked open the doors, walking outside into the cool breeze._

* * *

Erza sighed and turned back into the murmuring crowd, while Natsu jogged up behind her, earning a happy look from Mira.

"Hey, wait!" Natsu called after her.

"What is it, Naat Su?" Lucy giggled, quickening her pace away from him.

"Lucy, come on." Natsu groaned, seeing her wanting to play tag again.

"Gotta catch me if you wanna talk to me!" Lucy laughed in adrenaline and skipped faster down the streets of Magnolia, expertly dodging carts and people.

"Lucy! Come on, just slow down!" Natsu complained and began running after her.

"Nope!" Lucy giggled and headed back towards her tree, outside of Magnolia.

* * *

Natsu chased Lucy around in the vast flatlands, watching her twirl around in the meadows and do cartwheels continuously. He sighed, realizing he was never going to capture her and slumped to the ground, sitting lazily.

"Giving up, already Natsu?" Lucy mocked as she twirled closer to her.

"Yes, can you sit still now?" Natsu asked, irritated at her carefree attitude.

"You're no fun, Naat Su." Lucy pouted in a baby voice and circled him as he sat there.

"Just come sit." Natsu directed her in front of him.

"Alright, alright." Lucy sighed and sat cross legged in front of him, placing her elbows on the sides of her knees and laying her head on her fists. "What do you wanna know so badly?"

"What did you talk to Gramps about?" Natsu asked his first question.

"I believe that's between me and him." Lucy smirked under her mask and crossed her arms.

"What's so secretive about it?" Natsu asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not secretive, we just made a deal. More like an experiment." Lucy explained, tilting her head to the side as she was unsure herself.

"Experiment? On what?" Natsu asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Can't tell ya." Lucy giggled at his flustered expression.

"Seriously? Come on." Natsu begged calmly.

"Sorry, buddy. You'll find out soon enough." Lucy told him and ruffled his messy pink hair.

"Come o- Wait, you mean you're staying longer?" Natsu asked her eagerly.

"Maybe." Lucy shook her head for emphasis.

"Can't you ever just give me a yes or no answer?" Natsu asked irritated, making Lucy smile.

"No." Lucy mocked him, bursting out laughing at his scowl.

"You're so mean, Lucy." Natsu pouted and crossed his arms.

"Awww Naat Suu. You're cute when you pout." Lucy said in a baby voice as she leaned over and poked his cheek.

"W-Wha?" Natsu blushed 50 shades of red.

"What? Can't take a compliment?" Lucy asked him, tilting her masked head at him.

"N-No, its just..." Natsu drifted off, looking away from her as he fiddled with his fingers.

"Don't freak out, Natsu. The least you could do was return the favor." Lucy joked and leaned back, crossing her arms.

"I would if I knew what you looked like." Natsu said, hopeful she'll show him what she looks like.

"Nice try, Dragneel." Lucy nodded at him.

"Why can't I see? I promise I won't tell anybody!" Natsu pleaded.

"Sorry Natsu. Won't do it." Lucy shook her head. "But feel free to try and see what happens." She smiled deviously under her mask.

"U-Uh...will you do the same as last time?" Natsu asked nervously, fiddling with his fingers as he blushed.

"Maybe. Not sure." Lucy smirked and leaned back, hands behind her to the side.

"Why won't you just show me?" Natsu asked seriously.

"Because, all you humans care about is appearances. If I show everyone, people won't care for my personality and just on how I look." Lucy said.

"I don't judge people like that. You can trust me." Natsu told her, getting hopeful again.

"Sorry Natsu. I'll show you one day, unless it somehow accidently comes off." Lucy shrugged with a giggle.

Natsu thought a moment and felt his cheeks grow hot and dart his eyes to the grass beneath him.

"What's your next question?" Lucy asked, noticing his red cheeks.

"Um...why did you kiss me...back at the forest?" Natsu asked shyly and refused to look at her, not like he could see her expression anyways.

"You probably would've done the same, if had been in my circumstances." Lucy replied casually.

"I don't think so..." Natsu objected, shaking his head.

"See Natsu, I've been cooped up in that asylum my entire life with nothing but either stuck up girls who think they're too good for anyone else there or completely paranoid ones who scream like a maniac every hour. Imagine having to live like that for _17_ years. The only time I've seen a male is when they would occasionally visit other patients." Lucy explained, keeping her gaze on him. "As you can see, I've been longing to..see, another guy for a long time."

"But...why me?" Natsu asked nervously again.

"Well, technically, you and Grey were the first guys I talked to outside Rivers, so I figured why not?" Lucy smirked at him under her mask.

"Are you mad I did?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"N-No! I m-mean, it surprised me, b-but...yeah." Natsu blurted, unsure of what was the right answer.

Lucy laughed a bit and gazed to the side, crossing her ankles as she stretched out her legs. She loved looking at a flushed Natsu. He seemed cuter like that.

"Was it your first?" Lucy asked after a brief moment of silence.

"My first what?" Natsu asked, confused.

"Your first kiss?" Lucy clarified.

"U-Uh, yeah." Natsu said, blushing lightly.

"Sorry, didn't mean to steal it from ya." Lucy apologized, sitting up straight and fiddling with a blade of grass.

"It's okay. Doesn't really matter." Natsu shrugged.

"So wait, you're 17 and haven't had a kiss before?" Lucy asked for clarification.

"No." Natsu replied simply.

Lucy laughed a bit at him and gazed to the cloud-filled sky. She knows _she_ hadn't had her first kiss since a while ago too, but hey, where was she going to get hers? This guy has been surrounded by a number of beautiful girls and could've had a chance at any time, what's his excuse? It's not like he's bad looking, if fact he's pretty hot if she can say herself.

"What's so funny?" Natsu furrowed his eyebrows at her.

"I just don't get how _you_ haven't kissed anyone yet besides me." Lucy chuckled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Natsu asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Ah, nothing. Forget I mentioned it." Lucy sighed at him and laid on her back, staring at the sky above her.

Natsu crawled by her side and looked down to her mask.

"Tell me." He ordered.

'Eh, I'll tell him. He'll think I'm craz-oh wait.'

"You've been surrounded by how many pretty girls looking like you do and you haven't kissed anyone yet?" Lucy told him honestly.

'Either he's a really sweet guy or totally dense. Or both.' Lucy thought.

"They're just my Nakama, and ew kissing one of them..." Natsu shivered in fear and disgust of the thought of kissing someone like Erza. "And what do you mean looking like I do? What's wrong with how I look?"

"Nakama huh?" Lucy kept her eyes to the sky, wondering about that one simplistic word.

"Yeah, all of us at Fairy Tail care about each other and would protect each other. No matter what the cost." Natsu told her with a grin.

"Sounds nice." Lucy said softly and gazed at the sky dreamily.

Natsu stared at her mask, desperately wanting to see her expression right now. Or her face at all for a matter of fact. He couldn't see, but he could just tell by her quietness that she didn't look too happy.

"Want to join?" Natsu asked her after a moment.

"Join?" Lucy questioned him.

"Fairy Tail, you know. Be apart of our Nakama." Natsu offered with a grin.

Lucy looked to him to see if he was serious, and sure enough he was giving his goofy grin again.

"We'll see." She told him.

"Is that a yes?" Natsu asked her, leaning closer to her.

"It's a we'll see." Lucy said and looked back up to the sky.

"Luuccy! Just say yes or no!" Natsu whined and put his head in line of view.

"No." Lucy declined his order, trying to confuse the idiot.

"No you won't join?" Natsu asked sadly and stared down at her mask.

"No, that's a we'll see. I said no to your order." Lucy clarified to him.

"Quit trying to outthink me, your not supposed to do that!" Natsu scolded her with a pout.

"What? Think cause I'm crazy I'm stupid also?" Lucy snapped at him.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that..." Natsu quickly apologized.

After a moment of tense silence, Lucy broke it with a full-blown laugh.

"I'm just kidding Natsu!" She giggled at him.

"Wha?" Natsu gaped at her.

"But seriously, I might be insane, but I'm not dumb." Lucy sighed from her laughter.

"Yeah, yeah." Natsu pouted, angry that she tricked him and crossed his arms.

"Oh, don't be maad Naat Suuu." Lucy said in a baby voice and sat up to pinch his cheeks. She just _loved_ it when he pouted.

"Stop, I'm not mad." Natsu huffed and swatted away her hand from his red cheeks.

"I'm sorry I played with you, pwease forgive me?" Lucy said, still keeping her baby voice and gave puppy eyes to him, even though he couldn't see them.

"Hmm." Natsu turned away from her.

Lucy crawled into his line of view and leaned closer towards him, smirking at his blushing face. She bit her lip as she stared at him, still trying to keep his angered expression.

"Stop pouting. Your just doing it to get underneath my skin." Lucy told him softly as she unnoticedly stared into his eyes.

"Get underneath your skin? What does that mean?" Natsu asked, glancing towards her and furrowing his eyebrows.

'Okay, he really _is_ dense.'

"It means you're doing that to make me like you." Lucy told him with her famous giggle.

Natsu felt his cheeks burn hot and turned away from her masked face. He didn't know if he should keep being mad or not.

"S-Shut up! No I'm not!" Natsu denied.

"Whatever." Lucy sighed and stood up on her feet.

"Where are you going?" Natsu asked her, tilting his head so he could look at her.

"To sleep. You made me forget I was tired." Lucy told him and stalked towards her big tree.

"Just go sleep in a bed." Natsu said in an obvious tone.

"Tree's are more fun." Lucy said as she climbed the tree branches to her big one. "And what bed do you see around here?"

"You can crash with me and Happy." Natsu offered and walked to the trunk of her tree.

Lucy got to her branch and stretched herself comfortably across it. She sighed in relief of being on the loveable tree and laid sideways to glance back down to Natsu.

"Want me to move in already?" Lucy joked and smirked under her mask.

"Not move in, just until...I don't know, maybe get your own apartment." Natsu shrugged, totally not understanding her joke.

Lucy didn't know whether to sigh, laugh, or shrug at him so she just stayed quiet. He really is a piece of work.

"I'm fine here, Natsu. Thanks for the offer." Lucy told him, not really feeling like explaining everything that was going in her head at that moment.

Natsu sighed loudly and stared up at her figure in the tree again.

"Alright Lucy. I'll see you tomorrow, will you come to the guild? Me and Happy want you too." Natsu asked her before walking away.

"Maybe, depends if everyone else does." Lucy said and turned to her back towards him. She couldn't help but feel a bit saddened by how the people looked at her, even though she had been looked at like that her whole life. She _did_ make a deal with Makarov, so she suggests she _will_ be staying for a while. She naturally didn't care about what people thought of her, and she didn't want people trying to change her. She just hoped these people were...different.

"Don't be like that, they like you." Natsu tried to reassure her and took a step closer.

"I don't care what they think." Lucy said sternly.

"Yes you do." Natsu said, just as stern as her which surprised her a bit.

"What would you know? I never cared what anyone thought of me, why would you be different?" Lucy asked him, turning halfway to look at him.

"Because, we're friends. And I'm sure the rest of Fairy Tail cares about you too." Natsu said to her.

Lucy's eyes widened a bit at his words. She had never seriously _have_ a friend before. I mean sure, she called them her friends, but she was just teasing around with them and their expressions. Why did he want to be her friend?

Natsu heard silence from her, but saw her glance back at him and turn back, readjusting herself on the branch. How he wished he could've saw her expression then. He stared at her back for a while, then decided she wasn't going to reply at all and turned away to go find Happy.

"I don't need it." Lucy said to his retreating form.

Natsu stopped walking and turned back to face her back still.

"Need what?" He asked, confused by her words.

"Your pity, I don't want it or need it. Quit trying to befriend me out of sympathy." Lucy told him sternly and still refused to look his way.

"I never was." Natsu said simply and continued to walk.

Lucy felt her mind wander in confusing thoughts. She glanced back and saw Natsu's tiny figure off in the distance as he walked back to Magnolia. She turned back and sighed deeply, feeling her eyes droop and fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

**Yay, new chapter! Just decided to have a little fun this chapter so yeah...Thanks for reading! Remember to review for me, kay?**

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	7. He's Blind!

"I'M BAAACK!" Lucy sang loudly as she kicked open the guild doors. She was slightly surprised when a few welcomed her quietly, opposed to the usual intimidated silence she got whenever their eyes saw her.

She strolled in and searched the thick crowd for Makarov.

"Hey Lucy." Natsu waved from his barstool with Happy by his side.

"Where's Geezer?" Lucy asked him from across the room.

"Office. Why?" Natsu asked.

"No reason." Lucy lied and danced up the stairway.

Natsu sighed at her secretive ways and slumped to the bar counter.

Lucy carelessly barged into Makarov's office once again and caught him sitting at his desk again.

"Hey." Lucy greeted and strolled to his desk, kicking the door shut behind her.

"Ah, Lucy. How's everything been working out?" Makarov asked her and watched as she slumped sideways into an armchair.

"You tell me, it's your guild." Lucy replied and examined her fingernails.

"Well, considering you've been visiting for about a week now everything here is okay. That still doesn't mean something could've happened outside the guild grounds." Makarov explained to her and leaned on her desk.

"No, Geezer. Nothing has happened, but I have a feeling something will soon." Lucy predicted and swayed her legs up and down.

"You said that three days ago when you updated then." Makarov raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, what do you expect? I'm naturally paranoid." Lucy sighed and continued to examine her nails.

"Just tell me if anything happens." Makarov muttered and turned his gaze back down to his papers.

"Sure thing, Geezer." Lucy said and popped up from her seat.

"I'd prefer it if you called me Master." Makarov told her.

"Correction: the _guild mates_ prefer to call you that, but since I'm not in the guild I have full privileges." Lucy said smugly and pranced around his office.

"Fine, whatever you want." Makarov sighed in defeat.

"Thanks Geezer." Lucy giggled and slammed open his door loudly as she walked out into the guild.

"QUIT KICKING OPEN MY DOORS!" Makarov yelled at her.

"Now now, Geezer. Don't get mad." Lucy scolded him playfully and waggled her finger at him from the doorway.

Lucy heard him growl quietly and closed the door giggling. She turned around to the rambunctious guild and sighed at the sight of them.

'Such idiotic humans.' She thought and shook her head.

Tables and beer mugs being thrown everywhere, beer and food being splattered all over the walls and floors and mages giving each other a few good beatings over such non-sense like a dropped barrel of beer. Lucy sat on the railing of the second floor, swaying her legs back and forth and her hands gripping the banister next to her thighs. She watched the amusing guild for a few minutes then heard her stomach growl in hunger. Her eyes went to the pretty barmaid and jumped from the railing onto the roof supports, hanging on them by her hands.

Lucy imagined herself as a monkey she saw in a jungle a couple months ago and swung herself from beam to beam, giggling of the adrenaline. She remembered she was hungry and jumped from the supports into a barstool right in front of the barmaid, startling her.

"Hello." Lucy greeted and leaned on the counter by her elbows. "

Hi..may I help you?" Mira asked, still trying to calm her heart rate from the surprising girl.

"Yes, I want food." Lucy said simply.

Mira giggled a bit at her words and leaned in front of her.

"What kind of food?" She asked, giving her a motherly smile.

"Vanilla milkshake." Lucy ordered and patted the counter.

"Coming right up, I'm Mirajane by the way." She introduced and left to go make the drink.

Lucy sighed and put her feet up on the neighboring chair, crossing her ankles. She stared at the ceiling in deep thought about what she could do today. Apparently she had been staring at the roof for a while and was knocked out of her trance when Mira set down the tall glass in front of her.

"Here you go, Lucy." Mira said to her.

"Thanks Mira." Lucy said and pulled the glass closer to the edge of the counter.

"I'll return the glass later." She added and picked it up as she stood up out of her chair.

"Why not drink it here?" Mira asked her curiously.

"Because, I already see a pair of eyes waiting for me to take off my mask and drink it, so I'll come back later." Lucy giggled and pointed to a 'ninja' Natsu hiding behind a pillar watching her.

"Good eye, Lucy." Mira smiled at her and dried a cup.

Lucy laughed a bit and twirled towards the doors, glass held high in the sky from spilling.

"Luccy! Where are you going?" Natsu whined and caught up to her.

"To go drink my milkshake somewhere else because some keeps staring at me from afar." Lucy said and continued to twirl to the doors.

"Come on, Luucy. Just let me see!" Natsu complained and followed her out the doors.

"Go away, Naatsu." Lucy sighed and walked down the stairs of the building.

"I'm not until I see." Natsu said stubbornly. "Fine. I guess you *wont* see." Lucy said seriously, but with a grin under her mask and she hopped on top of a roof, using her magic to give her a boost.

"What do you me-" Natsu was cut off as he joined her on the rooftop and felt his eyesight quit on him. He only saw darkness all around him and felt his heart pound in confusion.

"L-Lucy! What's going on!" Natsu panicked as he tried looking around him, but couldn't.

"Relax, Natsu. You wouldn't leave me alone so I did what I had to. To enjoy my milkshake at least." Lucy said calmly and pushed him down to sit next to her.

"Did...Did you make me blind?! LUCY WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Natsu yelled at her face after sniffing her sweet scent and finding her location.

"Mmm. Ya." Lucy said as she sipped her milkshake with her mask on top of her head.

"Lucy can you change me back!?" Natsu asked her desperately and groped his hand to her strong arm and tugging on it.

"Of course, Natsu. I would never make you permanently blind. Just until I finish my drink." Lucy said and began to sip on it again, finishing it up.

"Thank God." Natsu sighed in sweet relief.

"Although I do like the feeling of not having my mask on 24/7, maybe you can survive a little longer while I rest?" Lucy joked, but also really felt better without that piece of plastic covering her face all the time.

"No Lucy! Change me back! Just don't wear the mask if you don't like it!" Natsu ordered and tried to catch her appearance.

"Hmmm, nah. I like you better when you can't see, you look cute." Lucy giggled and stared at his grieved expression of losing his eyesight.

"LUCY!" Natsu yelled embarrassedly and pinned her arms down onto the roof as he sat on his knees next to her.

Lucy giggled a bit and leaned up to press her lips onto Natsu's. Natsu's disabled eyes widened a bit and felt a crimson blush crawl across his cheeks.

Lucy pulled away and shook her head, letting her mask fall back over her face. She stared into Natsu's shocked eyes and returned his eyesight.

Natsu blinked a few times and tried clearing his vision. He saw Lucy's mask reappear beneath him and let go of her arms, still trying to process what just happened.

"Happy?" Lucy asked him in annoyance of his whining.

"W-Wha? Why did you do that?" Natsu asked nervously with a visible blush still on his cheeks.

Lucy shrugged her arms and sat up again.

"I dunno, just felt like it. I told you, you look cute when your blind." Lucy giggled and licked her lips.

Natsu blushed harder and traced his bottom lip with his finger.

'So you can just kiss someone whenever you feel like it?' Natsu wondered.

"Well, uh thanks. Don't do that again, it felt weird. Natsu told her softly as she put her hands behind her head leisurely.

"No promises." Lucy muttered and stared to sky.

"How did you do that?" Natsu asked her.

"Magic, Natsu." Lucy dead-panned and gave him a look behind her mask.

"I know it's magic, Lucy. What type?" Natsu asked her, slightly irritated by her stubbornness.

"You'll find out eventually." Lucy sighed and sat up, picking up her empty glass.

"Why don't you tell me anything?" Natsu pouted and crossed his arms.

Lucy glanced to him and felt her cheeks grow warm. She smirked under her mask and crawled over to poke his cute puffed out cheek.

"Quit pouting." Lucy giggled and stood up to her feet.

Natsu remembered what she said the last time he pouted and felt his face heat up. He heard Lucy giggle as she stared down at his flustered and pouty expression.

'He really is too cute.' She thought and giggled some more.

Natsu exhaled and stood up next to her, returning to his normal expression, much to Lucy's disappointment.

"Whatever, I'm going to go return this glass." Lucy sighed and jumped off the building casually.

Natsu sighed at her and climbed down to the dumpster, then onto the ground. He caught up with her as they walked back to Fairy Tail, seeing it in the distance. Natsu felt glum as he watched Lucy dance towards the guild doors, dangerously tossing the glass around in her hands.

"Hey Lucy?" Natsu called out to her right before she opened the doors.

"Hm?" Lucy hummed and turned back towards him, seeing his depressed attitude as he strolled up to her. "We're friends, right?" Natsu asked her seriously, hoping she would agree.

"Yeah, I guess." Lucy shrugged, curious at where he was going with this.

"And...friends trust each other right?" Natsu asked her as he stared at her mask.

"Yeah, I suppose." Lucy shrugged again.

"...Then, why don't you trust me?" Natsu asked her, gazing into the masks very tiny holes with plead of an answer.

"Aw, Natsuu. Of _course_ I trust you, what makes you think I don't?" Lucy said in a baby voice and took a step closer towards him.

"You never tell me anything. I thought we we're friends, Lucy." Natsu said, furrowing eyebrows at her and ignoring her carelessness to his seriousness.

"Natsu, I don't tell you stuff because I'm looking out for you. Trust me, I'm doing you a favor by not saying anything." Lucy told him and turned back to open the guild doors.

Natsu quickly grabbed her wrist and yanked her away from the doors a step, not wanting her to leave yet.

"You don't have to look out for me, Lucy. If something's wrong you can tell me. I'll protect you." Natsu reassured her with a small grin as he held her close to him, still holding her wrist.

Lucy felt her cheeks grow hot by his words and actions. She stared into his dark eyes, really glad she was wearing a mask to hide her red face.

"I don't need protecting. I'm the all famous Project 694, after all!" Lucy giggled at him.

"Lucy, please be serious with me, why won't you tell me anything?" Natsu asked again, tightening his grip on her wrist.

Lucy stared into his eyes again, internally sighing at his expression. She would give anything to tell someone, _anyone_ about what was _really_ after her, but Natsu and his stupid guild has really gotten to her. She usually wouldn't care if a guild got destroyed, but she had a soft spot for Fairy Tail and it irked her immensly. She didn't want anyone getting hurt because of her, even the people who still slightly look down on her who were friends of Natsu's.

"One day, Natsu. I promise." Lucy nodded at him.

"Wouuuld that be anytime soon?" Natsu asked, perking up and snaking a hand around her waist and giving her a childish bear hug.

Lucy laughed as she was lifted off the ground by him, being twirled around.

"Depends." Lucy tilted her head back and forth as he set her on her feet.

"On?" Natsu asked her.

"Can't say." Lucy giggled.

"You're killing me." Natsu growled and glared playfully at her.

"Sowy Naat Suuu." Lucy said in her baby face and pinched his cheeks.

Natsu sighed at her unusual mind and noticed he was still embracing Lucy. He didn't mind though, it felt nice having her so close to him and her in his protective grasps. He loved her scent most of all, he felt like he was addicted to it. Her sweet scent of vanilla and cherry blossoms, probably from all the trees she hangs around. But it all ended too soon when Lucy twirled out of his arms and busted open the guild doors with her hip.

"Oh Mirrraaajaaannnee!" Lucy sang and waved the glass high in the air for her view. Natsu sighed at her behavior and strolled in the guild after her, looking for Happy. Lucy slammed the glass down on the counter in front of Mira as she talked to Erza.

"Ah, Lucy. Finished I see?" Mira smiled at her and took the glass to clean it.

"Yup. It was good." Lucy popped her mouth and sat next to Erza.

"I saw Natsu go out with you, how did that work out?" Mira asked, resisting the urge to deviously smirk.

"He's annoying, I had to use my magic on him just so I could drink it without him trying to sneak a peek." Lucy tsked and shook her head.

"Use your magic? What did you do to him, is he okay?" Erza asked her, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Don't worry, Ezzy! He's fine." Lucy giggled and pointed to Natsu talking to Happy as she bumped her shoulder.

'Ezzy?' Erza raised an eyebrow at the nickname.

"Alright, Lucy." Erza sighed and drank from her mug.

"So what do you guys do here? Just sit around all day?" Lucy asked them curiously.

"Mostly." Mira shrugged.

"No, we take jobs and requests for needy people in exchange for money." Erza told her.

"Hm." Lucy nodded and stood up to stretch her back.

"Thinking about joining the guild, Lucy?" Mira asked her with a smile.

"We'll see." Lucy sighed and strolled back to the doors.

"You're always welcome, Lucy!" Mira shouted across the guild.

Lucy paused in the doorway for a second and glanced back to the crowd. She stayed quiet and exited, closing the doors gently behind her. Even Mira could tell, behind that mask of hers she was a normal human being like the rest of us, no matter if she was technically insane or not. She thinks she would fit in perfectly here, and definitely wanted her to stay. How else was her ships supposed to work without one half of the relationship here?

Lucy sighed as she exited the rowdy guild, just wanting to go back to her tree to sleep.

* * *

**Sorry guys, I would've uploaded yesterday but I ended up staying the night at a friends house and got all side-tracked and stuff. Anyways hoped you liked it and the story so far! Thanks for reading and REVIEW! I love reading your guys reviews so please do!**

**OH PLEASE READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR A NEW STORY! Okay, so I've already written pretty far into a bunch, so I'm going to let you guys decide between 2 stories, just based off the name.**

** Choice 1: The Visitor or Choice 2: The Orchid**

**VOTE NOW! Either PM or Review. :) Love yas!**


	8. It Begins

Lucy sighed loudly as she awoke on her tree. She saw the sun high in the sky and birds chirp all around her. She lifted up her mask to rub her eyes free of sleep and felt relief hit her like a ton of bricks. She really was beginning to hate this mask, now that it was getting warmer her face began to sweat much more now.

'Maybe I should get a new one..' She thought and stretched her body across the tree branch.

Lucy sighed and turned on her stomach, seeing a cute humming bird right in front of her, singing away and hopping all around. She giggled at the bird and rested her chin on her arms, gazing at the beautiful bird.

"Hello there." She talked to the bird.

The bird continued to chirp loudly and bounce around on its tiny legs. Lucy giggled a bit and hopped off the tree, landing on her feet. She decided to do some shopping today, she still only had one pair of clothing and frankly they were getting a little roughed up. The shirt was already too small for her and not to mention all these cuts and holes made from when she was defending herself from River's 'bodyguards'. Her jeans weren't in much better shape either with shreds of the fabric sticking out in every hole that was made. She frowned in disappointment as she remembered she lost her super-hero cape in a fight back at Hargeon.

* * *

Lucy strolled into the busy streets of Magnolia, searching for a clothing shop or something of the sort. She came across a boutique and entered the store, hearing the bells chime and saw racks full of clothing everywhere.

"Welcome!" The cashier yelled to her her from behind the register.

"HELLO!" Lucy shouted loudly, giggling as the other customers looked at her weirdly.

Lucy searched around on the racks, raising an eyebrow at all these flashy and glittery tops and skirts. She really doesn't understand why _anyone_ would want to wear stuff like this, but hey, who is she to judge? She continued to search the racks, hoping to find something like her old clothes, preferably plain and dark colored so she could blend into the night.

"Need any help?" Someone said from behind her.

Lucy turned to see a worker smile at her and walk next to her behind the rack.

"I don't know, do you guys have any plain clothes? Nothing like _that_. Lucy asked and pointed to a baby pink, spaghetti strap top with sequins surrounding the words DIVA.

"Ah, I think I understand. Follow me." The lady grinned at her and began to walk deeper into the shop.

Lucy followed, kicking her legs up as she walked and running her hands all through the racks of clothes she passed.

"Is this more your style?" She asked nicely and shifted her gaze towards a few racks that owned plain tank tops and biker pants for athletics.

"Hm, I guess. Thanks." Lucy shrugged and searched through the racks.

The worker nodded at her and left to help another girl.

'Not bad, I could use more flexible pants, these jeans work horribly with me.' Lucy thought as she rummaged through stretchy athletic pants that reached her calves.

After a short while of just picking out random items because she really didn't care what they looked like, (unless it was that 'Diva' shirt _shivers_)

Lucy skipped her way with her stack of clothes to the register and plopped them down in front of her.

"Find everything okay?" The cashier asked sweetly and began to search her clothes for the price tags.

"Sure." Lucy mumbled and gazed out the window of the shop.

The cashier summed up the money for Lucy, consisting of 3 army green and dark blue tank tops and 2 pairs of black, athletic pants that reached to her mid-claves and were stretchy. Lucy paid with the money she secretly stole from Grey (shhh) and was on her merry way out of the store.

Lucy danced all the way back to her tree and changed from her tattered clothes into her new tank and pants. She jumped around a bit, doing cartwheels and back flips to break in the new clothes and remembered something. She stood still for a minute and slapped her masked face in annoyance.

"I forgot to get a new mask." She mumbled and groaned loudly.

'Whatever, I'll get it later. I should check up on the guild.' She thought, remembering Geezer wanted an update today.

Lucy entered Magnolia's gates, leaving her new clothes on her trusty tree and hopped on top of a building. She laughed of adrenaline and jumped to different roofs, landing on her toes and bouncing off onto another all the way across the city. Yeah, these clothes helped with her flexability and speed _much_ better.

* * *

Lucy jumped off her last building and landed harshly in front of the doors. She kicked them open, making them slam into the walls next to them.

"GUESS WHO'S STILL HERE!" Lucy shouted loudly and laughed as she pranced in.

She heard a few mumbles from some people she hasn't officially met yet and giggled a bit.

"Hello, Lucy!" Mira waved at her from behind the bar.

"Hey Lucy!" Natsu greeted her from his table where he sat with Happy, Grey, and Erza, who just waved at her.

Lucy raised both her eyebrows in slight shock more than one person greeted her using words. She shrugged and saw Geezer sitting on Mira's bar next to a brunette who was chugging down her own barrel.

"Geeezeerrr!" Lucy called from across the guild and strolled near him.

"Yes, Lucy?" Makarov said to her, slightly tipsy.

"Update: still the same as yesterday." Lucy told him and crossed her arms.

"Good. Let's hope it stays that way." Makarov nodded at her and took another swig.

Lucy sighed at him and wandered back by the doors, unsure of what to do next.

"Hey Lucy, did you actually change clothes?" Natsu asked her, looking up and down at her appearance.

Lucy blushed a bit at his gaze and turned to him, who was leaning against a pillar.

"Yeah, my old ones got too torn up." Lucy answered and crossed her arms.

"I like them." Natsu grinned sheepishly at her. He couldn't help but think that was a _total_ understatement. She looked _great_ actually, her tank top really made her chest stand out amazingly and her pants really emphasized her small waist. He never really noticed her great body shape until now.

"T-Thanks..." Lucy said softly and dropped her arms.

"Hey, were about to go on a mission, wanna come?" Natsu asked her eagerly.

"A mission?" Lucy questioned him.

"Yeah, we just need some money. Why not come?" Natsu grinned at her and shrugged.

"I-" Lucy was cut off as the guild doors opened, revealing a group of men who walked in.

Her eyes widened in remembrance of the outfits the men wore and backed up beside Natsu.

"Shit." Lucy said softly and watched their eyes search the guild for her.

A man's eyes met with Lucy's mask and widened at the sight of her.

"Project 694!" He shouted, catching his friends and guilds attention.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked him sternly and stepped in front of Lucy a bit protectively.

The seemingly leader walked up to Natsu and Lucy and smirked.

"We've come for her, we don't want any trouble." He told Natsu.

"You say that like I'm actually coming with you." Lucy scoffed and stepped in front of Natsu, and into the man's face.

"Lucy, who are these men?" Mira asked from the bar.

"We've come to take 694 back to River's." The leader told the guild and watched as Lucy paced around, so that her back was to the guild doors and his friends were behind him.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Lucy said coming up to his face and crossing her arms.

"I'm sure you know why Aaron _needs_ you back, don't you? You know way too much information to be 'released'." The leader told her sternly, hoping the way he said that would make her realize what he actually meant.

"Well that's his fault, there's no way in _hell_ I'm going back there. I've been a labrat for long enough." Lucy spat at him in disgust.

'Labrat?' Everone thought in confusion.

"You're coming with me." He told her stubbornly and grabbed her bicep strongly, feeling his patience run out.

"Funny, I didn't even cancel your hearing sense. I told you I'M NOT!" Lucy yelled at him and yanked her arm out of his grasp harshly.

The man glared at her and smacked her masked face hard. Lucy gaped at him and fell to the floor, feeling the cool air overtake her head.

"HEY!" Natsu yelled at him and took a step forward, but stopped when he almost stepped on something. Natsu looked down and felt his heart skip a beat. He stared down to the floor, where he clearly saw Lucy's moon mask underneath his foot. Natsu shot his eyes towards Lucy, feeling his stomach flutter in excitement and anxiousness.

He saw her still on her hands and knees, head facing the guild doors, hanging her head low to the ground so no has seen her face yet. But what he did see was her _gorgeous_ blonde hair. It was straight and went just past her shoulders, draping across them gracefully. It looked silky and smooth, not to mention the rich golden color that shined in the guilds light. His heart pounded faster at just the sight of her hair and watched as she hesitated from standing up, already hearing gasps erupt from the guild.

'I can't freaking believe this.' She growled in her thoughts and fisted her hands as they still laid on the wooden floor.

Lucy slowly got to her feet, still facing the doorway and felt her anger rush through her. She lowered her head, letting her hair cover her face and turned around to face the group of 'bodyguards'.

Lucy raised her head to show her big brown eyes that glared at the 5 bodyguards and heard more gasps come from the guildmates.

"Big mistake." She growled dangerously at them and charged them.

Natsu on the other hand was utterly shocked he had finally seen her face. He felt his entire face turn pink at the sight of her. She was _beautiful_. She had big brown eyes that were mesmerizing and soft smooth skin that complemented her bright pink lips _very_ well. He never expected her to look like how she did. He blushed harder at the thought that he kissed a girl like her.

Lucy glared at the men and sent two of the five flying into the back wall across the guild. The leader stepped aside in startlement as the three others charged Lucy. Lucy ducked to dodge the men's punches and stood on her hands, kicking one hard in the jaw. She thrusted herself upwards and twirled in the air to dodge a beam of dark magic. She landed on her feet, crouching low to the floor and saw one rush her. She quickly grabbed a nearby chair, using her Telekinesis to shift it towards her and slammed it into his head, leaving her with just the one leg she was holding onto. She saw the man fall and pushed off his tumbling body with her feet, shooting towards the other two.

Lucy hooked her hand around a man's neck, using him to direct her kick towards the other man, slamming the toes of her boot into his cheek. Her leg kept moving after the hit and met the other as it was pushed up against the pillar he was standing next to. She launched off the pillar and pushed the man back, twisting his head in her hands and making him cry out in pain as he toppled to the floor. Lucy landed on his chest and stared at him before elbowing him in the temple, knocking him out. Lucy heard one of the last two men (not including leader) chant some words and felt a blaze of hot fire come right at her. She was engulfed into the flames, making her step off the body.

"LUCY!" Natsu shouted, now knocked out of his trance of her and prepared to eat the flames. Natsu stepped forward but heard one of his guildmates yell something to stop him.

"What's she doing?" Levy yelled, pointing to her body in the large blast of flames.

Lucy stood up in the inferno of flames and walked slowly through them, completely unaffected. She used her telepathy to create an invisible shield to protect her and glared at the fire mage as she neared him. She grunted and punched the man square in the face, stopping his fire and sending him to the wall again. Lucy ducked and ran across the room, dodging sharp daggers as they were thrown at her from the other mage she previously sent into the wall from the beginning.

"GET DOWN!" Lucy yelled to the by standing guildmates and jumped on top of Mira's bar. Lucy pushed her foot on the edge of the counter and hopped off, grabbing the roof supports and swung around effortlessly, dodging more daggers. She felt a dagger scrape her exposed waist, almost puncturing her stomach. She held in a wince and swung herself on top of a table, making it fall to its side and used it as a shield, feeling daggers hit the underneath of the table.

'These guys are decent.' She thought and panted lightly.

Lucy glared at the men and rushed them, jumping high into the air to dodge their fiery daggers and grabbed control of Mira's glasses. She hurled dozens of them at the dagger mage, hearing them shatter against his skin and cut him deeply. He screamed of pain and felt a thick glass slam abnormally fast into his temple, knocking him out. Lucy towered over his body and glanced back to the last mage. She slowly walked towards the last mage, hearing silence except for Mira shriek of surprise from the kitchen. Everyone watched as _dozens_ of Mira's kitchen knives slowly floated from behind the counter and followed behind Lucy. They all stopped, pointing directly at the last mage and hovering in thin air at him, frightening him worse. Lucy smirked and planted a hand on her curvy hip and pushed her hair behind her shoulder.

"Well. Aren't you in a pickle?" She joked and stared at him amusingly.

"S-Stop!" He stuttered in nervousness and stared at her and the knives in fear.

Lucy sighed at his 'bravery' and punched him hard in the face, knocking him out along with a few teeth. He slumped to the ground limply as Lucy stared at him.

Lucy turned back to the frightened leader, who was by now standing in the open doorway of the guild. She stalked towards him, eyes blazing of rage and knives hovering right next to her. She walked up to him and put her face right in his with her knives surrounding him in a tight circle.

"You're going to have to try a _little_ harder than that if you're getting _me_ to return." She whispered to him demonically.

Lucy glared at him for a minute longer, amused with his horrified reaction.

"RUFF!" Lucy barked like a small dog in his face. The man screamed and high-tailed out of there, running for his life. Lucy laughed hysterically as he watched him run like a scared child down the streets of Magnolia.

Lucy sighed and gripped the cut on her waist, feeling blood drip from it. She remembered her _stupid_ mask fell off and turned back to the stunned guildmates. She let go of her wound and strolled in front of the crowd of people, letting them get an eyeful of her unmasked face. "

Well? How do you like it?" Lucy asked, faking a girly tone and holding up her hair to show off her face even more.

Lucy's eyes trailed to Natsu's face and saw him blushing madly as he stared at her. She held in a giggle from everyone's expressions and let her hair fall back over her shoulders. The guild continued to stay quiet and just take in her appearance after weeks of not even knowing what her hair color even was.

"What? I'm not _that_ bad looking am I?" Lucy chuckled and sat in a chair, crossing her legs.

"No...its just..we thought you'd look..different." Erza said, the first to finally speak up from the whole episode there.

"What? Think I would be deformed or something? I'm mentally insane, not mentally traumatized by an accident and then got crazy." Lucy told them and tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

The guild continued to stay quiet, not really knowing what to say now. Lucy looked around her and make an apologetic face at the sight. The guild was a _mess_. Scorch burns covered the floors all over and tiny daggers punctured the walls and shelves on everywhere. Pillars and parts of the bar counters were cracked and splintering with glass shards all over the floor from her attack. Lucy pursed her lips and swayed her crossed leg up and down.

"Huh, guess I got a little carried away.." She said, still looking around her.

Lucy shrugged and sucked her teeth leisurely. She felt her stomach feel a bit empty and let her eyes wander to Mira, who was beginning to clear away a lot of debris from her counter.

"Hey Mira, can I have milkshake? The last one was good." Lucy asked her from across the quiet guild.

The guild looked at her like she was crazy..well crazier. She just mauled four tough mages, destroyed their guild, shown them her face and she's asking for a milkshake?!

"Um..I'm low on ingredients now..maybe later?" Mira laughed awkwardly and carefully picked up pieces of her shattered glass.

"Aw." Lucy pouted and puffed out her bottom lip disappointedly.

Natsu flushed harder at her cute pouting face. He couldn't help it, he had never seen any of her expressions before, much less her face at all.

"Well Lucy, I believe my part of the deal has expired. Now its time to fulfill your part." Makarov sighed as he jumped from the counter and strolled towards her.

Lucy sighed loudly and stood up as well, finishing his path towards her.

"Alright." She agreed and crossed her arms.

"What is this deal you two keep talking about?" Natsu asked, finally snapping out of his trance of her.

Lucy and Makarov turned towards him curiously and saw the guild taking an interest too. They all wanted to know what those two had up their sleeves and how Lucy could fight so well, considering she's been locked away her entire life. Who were those guys and why did they want her so badly?

"I made a deal with Geezer here to see if it was safe enough for me to join your little guild, which is why I didn't give an answer to your offer earlier Natsu." Lucy explained to them all.

"But now that that leader guy has left, he's probably going to tell Aaron about you guys and then he'll come after you because he thought I would snitch and then he'll come after me.." Lucy listed, waving her hand in circles and rolling her eyes, finally ending with a sigh and sitting back down in her seat.

"Who's this Aaron?" Makarov asked, raising an eyebrow at her as everyone came closer to her to listen.

"Well, let me start from the beginning." Lucy sighed and kicked her feet up on a scorched table and held her hands on her stomach.

The crowd leaned closer in anticipation of her story and stared at her newly exposed face eagerly.

"You see, Rivers isn't just a mental institution, its also a laboratory for experiments. Only a few people there know about it, making it highly confidential considering what their testing is illegal." Lucy started to explain to them.

"Aaron, the owner of Rivers spends a lot of money and bribery attempts to keep his laboratory experiments a secret from the society. He's a very powerful man, and strong too." Lucy told them and stared at them with an emotionless gaze.

"What are his experiments?" Wendy asked curiously as she sat on the floor next to her with her legs crossed.

Lucy looked to the young girl and smiled softly. She remembered when she was her age, everything seemed so complicated then, but as she grew older, it all started to make sense.

"His experiments? Well, you're talking to one now." Lucy gave a sneer laugh and crossed her arms.

The crowds eyebrows furrowed at her words. Lucy was the experiment? He tested on humans?

"What do you mean by that?" Grey asked, curiously worried for the girl.

"Don't tell me you guys haven't ever wondered why they call me _PROJECT_ 694." Lucy questioned them all.

The crowd gave indifferent expressions, now realizing that it was weird to call her a project. Lucy sighed at them and crossed her arms tightly.

"_693_ girls before me have been tested on by Aaron, seeing if they were capable enough to take on his masterpiece. They all died, not strong enough to handle the stress of his brutal experiments. I am Project 694, the _only_ one out of hundreds to endure his testings, the only one capable to take on his masterpiece. That's why he needs me back at Rivers, so I can become his puppet once again." Lucy said to them sternly, mindlessly gazing to the floor beside her.

She remembered..her only friend at Rivers..she was Project 528. Like all the rest of experiments before Lucy, she died. She couldn't bear the experiments they tested on her. Lucy was just passing by when she heard her final death scream. It echoed throughout the laboratory, throughout her mind. She could've saved her, but she just finished with her own testings. She was too zoned out to even think straight. Her eyes had dark bags underneath them and her skin was a lifeless pale. She felt like she was just lobotimized, like a pathetic vegetable on a cutting board.

"What exactly is his 'masterpiece'?" Makarov asked her, catching her attention away from the floor.

"That I don't know. I escaped before he could inject me with whatever it was." Lucy shrugged her shoulders.

"Then what does he plan on doing? What's the meaning of all this experimentations?" Erza asked her, confused at what he was trying so hard to accomplish.

"I'm a little fuzzy on that too, but I do remember a conversation that I overheard when I was younger." Lucy told her, waving her finger and sitting up straighter in her chair.

"He plans create the ultimate mage. The strongest one ever imaginable. He's spent years of his life researching and testing on people to make that one perfect mage. I was the closest he ever got." Lucy told them and crossed her ankles.

"Do you know what he plans to do with you, or the strongest mage?" Mira asked her.

"Nope, but I can tell he has something up his sleeve. Something big. But like I said before, I escaped before I could gather too much information." Lucy shook her head back and forth.

"How does he get people for his experiments, it sounds like the people didnt exactly sign up for it." Grey observed and crossed his arms over his bare chest.

"Of course. Who in their right mind _would_ agree to help him? But I suppose that's the point." Lucy sighed and shrugged her arms, confusing the crowd.

"Aaron uses the girls from the mental asylum as his labrats. Their minds are too fragile and weak to think properly about what's best for them, so most of them end up agreeing mindlessly or just zone out and are dragged away. He feeds on the weak and damaged for his advantage, knowing they couldn't fight back." Lucy explained to the crowd.

Lucy snickered a bit mindlessly as she began to gaze at the floor again, remembering how horrible the sights were for all those innocent girls who ended up dead in a body bag.

"I saw it all. Soo many girls..just laying there in his testing rooms. Dead." Lucy said softly as she continued to stare at that one spot.

"Ironic, isn't it?" Lucy asked, looking back up to the sympatheic eyes of the crowd.

"All those girls wanted was to get healthy again. Their families, their friends..just sent them to Rivers. Hoping they would be fixed and happy again.." Lucy said quietly and stared out into space again, remembering all those crying family members who were fed lies about their child's death.

"Who would've thought that was the worst possible thing to do them?" Lucy sighed and pursed her lips to the side.

The crowd fell silent, noticing how Lucy's usual loud and crazy attitude has fallen drastically with her past. They figured she must've had a rough past considering her circumstances, but not to this level. How long had she been exposed to death and pain? How had she survived this whole time without her mind going into overdrive? What exactly did they _do_ to her?

"If you don't mind me asking, what kind of experiments did they run on you? How did you survive all the tests, yet the others couldn't?" Lisanna asked curiously, feeling the crowd hum in agreement of her question.

Lucy looked back to the crowd with her usual expression on and leisurely placed her arms behind her head, balancing the chair on its back legs.

"Well, those two questions are more alike than you had planned to ask in such a way." She giggled a bit, seeing all their expressions turn to confused and anticipated.

"The experiments they ran were to, what I believe considering what they told me, was to basically enhance my magical capabilities. See, with my type of magic, which is Telekinesis magic, I was able to create a barrier, a shell using my magic." Lucy tried to explain to them.

"Telekinesis magic? So you move things with your mind?" Wendy asked curiously.

"Basically. Telekinesis is the part of my mind where I am able to move anything I see with my powers. But there is a sort of sister part of my magic. It's called Telepathy." Lucy described to them.

"With Telepathy, I am able to take control of a organisms brain, shutting down and turning on parts of it. Even able to infiltrate people's thoughts, including my own for my personal use." Lucy explained to them.

"So that's how you made me go blind?" Natsu asked her.

"Yup. I'm able to cancel an organisms senses. Eyesight, smell, hearing, pain..." Lucy listed, waving her hand in a circle.

"What did you mean when you said create a barrier with your mind? Is that a part of your Telepathy?" Levy asked from the crowd of intrigued people.

"Yeah, with my power that they unlocked back at Rivers, my mind was strong enough to let me go into a state of trance, like I created a cocoon for myself using my mind. I felt no pain, none of my sense were activated, just like I was sleeping. That's how I survived their tests, by using my magic." Lucy answered her question.

"I believe I unlocked most of my abilities when they somehow opened my Second Origin. I believe some of you more intellectual mages might know of it." Lucy said, looking into the crowd for a mage that might of studied enough to learn about it.

"Yeah, a girl unlocked a lot of our Second Origins, it boosts your magic by alot." Natsu remembered Ultear talking about that on the beach.

"Hm, then I suppose you know of the pain you have to endure in order to gain that much power?" Lucy questioned them.

"Ugh, it was the worst." Levy complained, remembering how horrible it felt.

Lucy laughed a bit and nodded her head.

"Yeah, just imagine that..but about 3X worse." Lucy contemplated.

The crowd flinched a bit at the thought of having to endure that much pain again, not even wanting to think what 3X it felt like.

"Lucy, how long have they been doing this to you?" Makarov asked with concern lining his tone.

Lucy started to chuckle as she kept balancing her chair on two legs. She kept her gaze on Makarov and laughed harder at his lack of knowledge. The crowd was surprised at how much this one girl could confuse them so much.

"Well, Geezer. That's a difficult question to answer." Lucy finally said after her fit.

"How so?" Makarov questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, let's see. I became an orphan when I was 2 after Aaron paid me a nice visit and after he took me away, he started experimenting as soon as I got there so." Lucy shrugged and started giggling again.

"What do you mean Aaron took you away, what happened to your parents?" Erza asked curiously.

"Oh. Aaron killed them." Lucy answered simply.

"W-What?" Wendy asked with worry for her.

"What do you mean he killed them?" Natsu asked sternly, trying to keep in his anger over the subject.

The guild didn't know how she could just say something like that so..easily! The man murdered her parents and it was like she's totally unaffected towards it!

"When I was a child I became very famous over the lands of Earthland because of my unusual strength. I could possess so much power at my age I began to scare anyone who came my way. Aaron found out about me and my 'strength' and mommy and daddy got on the wrong side of him." Lucy sighed and gazed up to the ceiling.

"And he just..took you away?" Cana asked in a nonsense tone.

"Yup. It's funny, for the longest time I believed he was my actual dad. My mother went off somewhere and just left me and him, it wasn't until so many years later when I overheard him talking about me that I had figured it out." Lucy giggled a bit.

"Aren't you mad? This guy murdered your parents for heaven's sake and your just giggling away!" Erza asked, standing up from her seat and staring at her sternly.

"Oh Ezzy, of course!" Lucy giggled and crossed her legs on the chair.

"You guys don't think I hate the bastard for killing my only family? Of course I do, who wouldn't?" Lucy ranted at them.

"You see, unlike most humans, I'm patient. I think things through before putting them to action. I know one day I will get my revenge of him, maybe not anytime soon, but I know I will." Lucy told them, pointing a finger to her head and leaning on her knees.

"And believe me, don't think I haven't tried killing him already, but one try was enough for a while." Lucy said, leaning back into her chair.

Lucy lifted up her shirt, revealing her stomach to the crowd. Some winced a bit at the awful scars that placed all over her torso, running onto her back as well. It looked like someone dumping a burning oil all over her, the skin was a lighter pink and looked irritated all over.

"I have to wait. Wait for the perfect moment to strike, when I'm strong enough. I'm not sure if I'm still too weak, but I guess I'll find out soon enough when he comes through those gates for Magnolia later." Lucy predicted confidently.

"Lucy, you're not fighting this guy alone." Natsu told her and stood up from his chair.

"Hm?" Lucy said, raising an eyebrow at him.

"If this guy is as strong as you say, I wont let you go against him alone. I'll help." Natsu decided determinedly.

Lucy threw her head back laughing and gave a light shove to him with her foot. She looked up to him and shook her head, still trying to keep in her giggles.

"Natsu, this isn't your battle. It's none of your battles, only mine. It will be me to defeat Aaron and to hopefully stop his experiments." Lucy told the crowd of worried people.

"We never said it was. Let us help you." Wendy smiled to her kindly.

Lucy looked down to gaze at the small girls kind expression and felt her mood lighten up. She just wanted to protect these idiotic humans, but nope. If they want to help so bad, why not?

"Fine, but I can't promise no one will get hurt. Either by me or not." She warned them and crossed her arms, looking sternly at the crowd.

"Great! We'll totally beat up this Aaron guy and get you to join the guild!" Natsu cheered and fist pumped his hand into the air.

The guild cheered and shouted along with him, raising their mugs and fists into the air happily

"Hey Lucy?" Erza asked after the crowd settled down,

"Hm?" She answered blankly.

"What did you mean by _you_ not promising to hurt _us_?" Erza asked confusedly and suspiciously.

"A lot of things happen down there. If things go right, which I doubt they will, well. Let's just say someone's going to have a harder time than the others.." Lucy smirked a bit at her then closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

'They have no idea what their getting themselves into.'

* * *

**Im so sorrryy! I totally forgot that I was going to a camp for a week and at like the third day I remembered I didn't upload right before I left! Sowy...**

**Anyways guys, I have some bad news.. I. Have, Writersblock. I have tried a bazillion times to keep writing this story and I have the rest of it planned out, but I just cant get into it! I have no idea whats going on, this chapter is the last one ive written. If you know me, you know that by now I would be finished with this story and onto another, but im stuck! I don't know what to do but I might have to go on a little break for Free Star. I'll keep trying to write but I don't want to force myself or else it wont turn out as nicely as I would like it to be. **

**So basically, just keep an open ear out for Free Star, but don't expect it to be as soon as before. Im still doing my other two cuz I already finished their stories.**

**Thanks for reading and wish on a star that I will be able to finish it!**

**OH PLEASE READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO VOTE FOR A NEW STORY! Okay, so I've already written pretty far into a bunch, so im going to let you guys decide between 2 stories, just based off the name.**

** Choice 1: The Visitor or Choice 2: The Orchid**

**VOTE NOW! Either PM or Review. :) Love yas!**


	9. Here We Go

Brown clashed with onyx in a silent match. No words were exchanged, yet so much was being spoken to them right now. They didn't move a muscle, only letting their chests that breathed up and down as a signal that they weren't frozen in time.  
So many, yet so little thoughts rushed through their minds as their eyes just continued to bore into one another, not even blinking. The brown eyes began to twitch in annoyance.

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"Natsu-"  
"Shh, just..wait a minute.."

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"AHHHH!"

Natsu flinched in shock at the girls high-pitched scream and nearly toppled over the chair he was sitting in. His heart was in his throat as he stared panickly at the blonde's wide smirk clearly painted on her face.

"WHAT?" He yelled at her, putting a hand to calm his heartbeat.

Lucy snorted and kicked her feet up on the table. It was about time he stopped staring at her like she was a new animal species.

"You wouldn't quit staring at me, it was creeping me out." She shrugged, totally unnerved at all the weird and worried glances she got from the random outburst in the guild.

"Did you really have to scream like you just got stabbed or something?" Natsu sighed in irritation. That really freaked him out.

"Yep, you wouldn't let me speak so I screamed. What other way is there to do it?" Lucy said simply and threw him a look across the wooden table.

"...whatever." He mumbled in defeat.

"Now apologize." Lucy ordered him.

Natsu looked up to her newly exposed face and raised an eyebrow at her. Why should he?

"For what?" He asked her, still giving her a ' you're crazy' look, which by the way was way too common for her.

"For staring at me like I was an animal from a zoo about to do a magic trick." Lucy snapped at him.

He should already know that she didn't _want_ her mask to come off, if you can't recall, it was sort of an accident. Now all these people were staring at her like a magical piece of meat, unsure if they wanted a bite or not. It frankly annoyed the _shit_ out of her, yet she couldn't exactly get them to stop considering half the time she didn't even notice. But most people can say already, when she does notice...that's another story. A very painful story.

"Well, _sorry_, I just wanted to look at you. You should've seen all of this coming when you took it off." Natsu barked sarcastically at her.

Lucy growled at him with a glare and sent a telepathic slap to the head at him. She would do it physically but he was too far away and frankly, she's too comfortable to move.

"OW!"

"Stupid humans."

* * *

It's been two days since Aaron's little buddies came to Magnolia, and Lucy was as paranoid as ever. She knew she would probably end up being taken back to River's, but what these idiotic Fairies would do _after_ she's been taken, that honestly scared her more than being kidnapped. She knew they only meant well for her and tried helping her out of pity, -which she kind of hated but decided not to call them out on- but only she truly knows what their up against. They don't know anything about anything, except for the motive of Aarons actions and technically, they don't know his exact motive either if you think about it. She still didn't know _why_ Aaron wanted so much power in a single body, what did he plan on using it, or Project 694 for? It irked her knowing she had spent her entire life in that stupid asylum yet she only knows so much on everything.

She figured she could of gathered more information, considering she had an expendable amount of time to do so, but half the time she was either just finishing her testing's and staring at the ceiling mindlessly like a pot-head or in the actual testing's herself. She could safely say she never got bored, she never really had the time too. Heh, who woulda thought she _wanted_ to be bored? Maybe she is a little crazy.  
Lucy burst out laughing in dead silence at that thought. _A little crazy_. She cracks herself up, sometimes. That's funny.

She's perfectly fine.

Lucy sighed as she saw her tree up the hill always, lazily moping towards it as she wished she was there already. She really doesn't know how she got drained all the sudden, probably from all those _stupid_ people checking her out again. They act like they've never seen a girl before! Sheesh, they could at least try to be discrete about it, I mean they freaking do catcalls and whistle at her like...a flying fish! Now don't get her wrong, she is somewhat flattered by the act but sometimes they can get a little overwhelming. Even if they do go a little too far by a ass-smack that a guy that _wasn't even in the guild_, they'll all soon learn to stop after about her fifth 'Erza Punch' as everyone called it to the man's face. Then after he flew across the entire guild, apparently Natsu had also witnessed the incident and gave him another good fiery punch to the jaw yelling some 'inappropriate' words to the man. I hope that guy thought it was worth it.

Lucy leaped up to her tree branch and adjusted herself to her liking before slumping down with her knees up to her chest and hands under her head by her ear. She sighed and slid her eyes shut already half asleep.

* * *

Lucy got about a hour of sleep before she felt her paranoid instincts react like a radar in her brain. She shot her eyes open, but was met with a hit to the face. She grunted and flew off the branch, creating a fine crater of dirt in a line across the field. She glared at the five men that hovered over her and kicked the one who hit her where the sun don't shine. She leaped up to her feet but was met with a stinging shot in her thigh.  
Lucy's eyes darted to her leg, seeing a giant needle lodged in it attached to a liquid container attached. She felt wooziness hit her like a ton of bricks.  
Lucy swayed back and forth, desperately trying to keep her consciousness and just felt weak. Lethargic. Her sight doubled in vision and it seemed like the world was shaking back in forth like a seesaw. Her head throbbed in pain and she finally blacked out, thumping to the soft grass with a final glance to the smirking mages before her.  
Well, here we go.

* * *

**Alright guys, sorry for the wait and sorry for the short-ness. Im still tryin on this so hopefully it will get better. Sorry if its a bit outta whack too, haha.**

**Thanks for everything guys, it means the world to me and I hope you continue to read this and even more stories from me.**

**YOU CAN STILL VOTE! **

**I will stop the contest thingy thing after Save Me From Myself and post the results on here and the sisters too.**

**SO VOTE FOR NEW STORY!**

**Choice 1- The Visitor**

**Choice 2- The Orchid**


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